Activities

10 Things To Do With Kids During Lockdown This Weekend

Running out of kids’ lockdown activities? It’s pretty easy to have been through all the family board games, art supplies and Netflix shows when we’ve all been in the house for so long. With homeschooling in full swing, it’s important to come up with some kids’ lockdown activities that are active and creative to help them unleash some pent up energy. I’ve picked out some nature trails and challenges that have been keeping my family sane, as well as some cool online activities and subscriptions that are well worth getting involved with. What are you doing to keep the kids occupied? Please leave a comment below with any recommendations!

Jump to:

Stay home
Discover somewhere new
Get creative

Stay home

Hogwarts Is Here

Is there a Potter fan in your house? I’ll be surprised if there isn’t! Hogwarts is Here is a fantastic online platform for the kids to immerse themselves in the wizarding world. They can enrol for realistic Hogwarts courses, earn house points and play with magic in the common room. Sign up and get involved!

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Kitchen Disco With Sophie Ellis Bexter

Get everyone up and dancing around the kitchen with this hit playlist from Sophie Ellis-Bextor. Featuring hits from Donna Summer, Cher and Boney M, get lost in some classic pop hits.

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Disney Plus

With over 500 movies and 350 series, Disney+ is a brilliant way to while away the hours and watch all of the classics. It really has something for everyone with the Pixar favourites (Toy Story, Monsters Inc etc.), the Star Wars films, 30 Marvel movies, The Simpsons and loads more.

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London Symphony Orchestra – Online

Catch a performance from The London Symphony Orchestra. Discover what happens to an orchestra when everyone has to keep their distance. Learn how sound travels and what you can hear between the notes.

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Check out List.co.uk for more events like this.

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Scavenger Hunts

Scavenger hunts can take as little or as much planning as you have time for. I’ve put together a list of nine tried-and-tested scavenger hunts that will keep them occupied indoors and in the garden. An ideal lockdown activity!

9 Scavenger Hunts To Do At Home With The Kids

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Learn to play cards

No need to buy anything, just pull out your pack of playing cards and teach the family some new card games. Fun Attic has a good selection of games for 1-4 players. If you do need to buy a pack of cards, you can order them here.

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Discover somewhere new

Geocaching

Geocaching has been around a while but it’s really started to rise in popularity again since we’ve been in lockdown. Rediscover the world around you with this fantastic geocaching app and get involved in a worldwide treasure hunt. Be warned, it can get addictive!

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Forestry England

Is there a Gruffalo hiding in your local forest? There have been sightings of the mythical beast around the UK, so check out Forestry England website to find more. There is also a family-friendly Gruffalo-themed orienteering course that will hopefully be reopening soon (covid-permitting!).

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Treasure Trails

Sign up for a socially distanced adventure with Treasure Trails to get the cogs ticking out in the fresh air. Buy a Treasure Trail for your local area via the website and then have your young detectives solve clues, catch crooks and find the hidden treasure.

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Looking to update your wardrobe, buy a gift or treat yourself?

You will find a gorgeous range of jewellery, accessories and clothes on TLM Edit, all hand-picked by The London Mummy.

Get creative

DIY fake snow recipe

Missing the snow? With two ingredients you can create your own! If you have a toddler, DIY snow is great for sensory play, while older children can have fun making mini snowmen and creating a fake snow small world.

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Water pistol art painting

Definitely one for the garden, pick up a canvas and dig out the kids’ water pistols and let them blow off some steam firing watercolour paint to create a new piece of artwork.

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Take a peek at my ultimate directory for the best parent, style and business recommendations.

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Gift Guides

A Lockdown Christmas? 18 Things To Keep Your Family Entertained This Season

We all know Christmas isn’t going to be quite the same this year. It feels like we’re all trying to guess at what to expect but I think it’s easy to say we won’t be getting out and about as much as usual. That got me thinking about indoor activities to entertain the whole family, stuff to keep the kids occupied for hours, and crafty things to stimulate your mind. So, here’s what I’ll be buying for “new normal” festive season.

Jump to:

Whole family fun
To keep the kids quiet
For the adults

Whole Family Fun

Christmas Name Game Party Hats, Postbox Party

£11

Post-Christmas dinner, this party hat game is simple one for all ages to get involved with. Everyone dons a hat with name card and asks questions to the rest of the players in order to figure out who they are.

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The Sock Game, The Sock Game

£20

I’m very curious about this game. It’s a family team game where you spin the spinner and race to find items that are inside the sock. It’s a game that its founders have been playing every Christmas since the 80s and are now selling it in game shops across the UK.

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Family Conversation Prompt Cards, Three Boys Rock

£20

A lovely one to kick-start family conversations around the table, these prompt cards are a great way to get the kids talking and forming opinions on a variety of topics.

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Beat That!, Serendipity Presents

£22

Relieve some of that pent of energy taking part in a bonkers game of Beat That! Players must complete a series of wacky challenges involving random objects — think ping pong balls, chopsticks and cups. It’s definitely one that’ll have everyone laughing!

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To Keep The Kids Quiet

Christmas Special, Doodle Dents

£6

Hit a festive note with these lovely Santa, Rudolph and Snowman doodles from Doodle Dents. A good one to keep them busy while you’re cooking or for the post presents ‘what shall I do now…?’ question.

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World Map Pillowcase – Colour In & Learn, Eat Sleep Doodle

£15

Educational, creative and washable! Let them run wild colouring in countries, famous landmarks and exotic animals, then pop it in the wash ready for the next world tour.

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Personalised Christmas Eve Crafts Letterbox Gift Set, Little Lulubel

£16

I love to have something special in mind for Christmas Eve and these Little Lulubel letterbox gifts are a fab idea. It includes a Make Your Own Mask set, instant snow and sweets. Perfect to send to nieces and nephews you might not be able to see this Christmas.

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Create Your Own Snappy Shark Head, Clockwork Solider

£10

Time for some chill and concentration in building this Snappy Shark Head. It will look brilliant on their bedroom wall afterwards too!

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25 Purrfect Presents For Pet (& Pet Lovers) This Christmas

24 Home Gift Ideas To Buy Any Interiors-Obsessed Friend

SmartMats Set 1 A3, Smart Mat Kids

£12

SmartMats are ingenious for keeping the kids entertained wherever you go. The sheets are suitable for each age group (2-4, 5-7, and 8+).

Get 15% off Smart Mat Kids using the code ‘TLM‘ until 1 Jan 2021.

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Looking to update your wardrobe, buy a gift or treat yourself?

You will find a gorgeous range of jewellery, accessories and clothes on TLM Edit, all hand-picked by The London Mummy.

Harriet Versus The Galaxy Gift Set, Parrot Street Book Club

£20

Books are brilliant gifts but a book with an activity pack, pin badge and bookmark? Even better! The activity book is a great way for kids to dive deeper into the adventure story.

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Sesame Street Play Dough Kit, Made To Play Bins

£20

Learn and play with Sesame Street! These homemade, organic play dough sets from Made To Play Bins will keep the little ones occupied for hours.

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Handwritten letter from Father Christmas, The Christmas Letter Co.

£12

All kids love to sit down and write a letter to Santa and receiving a response is really the icing on the cake. The Christmas Letter Co. allows you to add personal details and is closed with a wax seal to make things all the more authentic.

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For The Adults

Mesmerise 1000 Piece Jigsaw Puzzle, Pieces of the Puzzle

£35

I’m sure the kids would be on-board with this one for all of five minutes, then it’ll be over to you to complete this beautiful ‘Mesmerise’ swirl jigsaw.

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Sproutword (2 – 4 player box), Sprout & Gerkhin

£22

Calling Scrabble fans! Here’s something new to get the cogs ticking. Sproutword involves making and changing words to create winning combinations.

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Luca Pom Hat Knitting Kit, Stitch & Story

£28 (was £35)

A Stitch & Story set is a lovely one to challenge yourself to make something new and something you’ll actually wear. I’m loving the hats but the scarves, blankets and sweaters are fantastic too.

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Curious Creatures: A Colouring Book Adventure, Millie Marotta

£6

Colouring books for adults were all the rage a few years ago but I still find a spot of colouring therapeutic. Millie Marotta’s illustrations are beautiful.

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Three Month Cocktail Kit Subscription, Taste Cocktails

£89

Who knows what the next few months will bring? If it’s expertise in cocktail-making, I will try not to complain too much!

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British Isles Counties and Sea Areas Puzzle, Heirloom Wooden Puzzles

£35

Test your knowledge on the UK (or rather learn about where the different counties are!) with this sweet wooden Heirloom puzzle.

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For more Christmas inspiration, here’s what to buy a man who is hard to buy for, how to treat your tween this festive season and things to keep everyone entertained for a potential lockdown Christmas.

Looking for something else? Take a peek at my ultimate directory for the best parent, style and business recommendations.

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Family Life

Winter Survival Kit: 4 Essential Nutrients Your Family Should Be Getting

At certain times of the year, or at times of increased pressure, our bodies can benefit from a boost from some additional nutrients. So, I enlisted Eight Food Nutritionist Jo to create a Winter Survival Kit to help keep your family fighting fit. As the nights draw in, temperatures drop and we head into the colder months, here is Jo’s pick of supplements for the whole family that really pack a nutritional punch.

Probiotics

An estimated 80% of our immune system is based in our gut, therefore ensuring a healthy tummy is key to supporting a strong immune system. Our balance of gut bacteria is affected by many factors, such as antibiotics, stress, medication, excessive modern hygiene and of course the food we eat. You may be familiar with the good bacteria available in small yoghurt drinks, and of course in live natural yoghurt itself. Unless your diet is rich in fermented foods (kefir, sauerkraut, kimchi and kombucha) a course of probiotics (beneficial bacteria) may provide useful support over the winter months.

We love OptiBac For Babies and Children, a combination of well-researched pre and probiotics (prebiotics act as a food source for the friendly bacteria) which has been shown in studies to effectively reduce respiratory infections in children. They don’t need to be kept in the fridge, and the sachets can easily be opened and stirred into cooled drinks, porridge, stewed/pureed fruit or yoghurt, ideally with breakfast. Just try to ensure the food isn’t too hot as that may affect the bacteria. Proven Probiotics Fit For School is a great tasting chewable probiotic for older school-aged children.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D is required by the body to help absorb calcium and phosphate and is also key for immune health. It is made by our bodies from sunlight which becomes more difficult over the winter months and can be relatively tricky to find from food in decent quantities. Some foods containing vitamin D include eggs, mushrooms and oily fish. Vitamin D deficiency is much more common than most people realise and is found in around 50% of adults.

You might also like: 10 New-In Hush Pieces I Couldn’t Resist

The UK Department of Health states that we should all be taking a daily vitamin D supplement between October and April, including pregnant & breastfeeding mothers to support their child’s health. We really like Better You DLux Infant Spray and find that children really enjoy the experience of squirting the spray into their mouth! It is also available in a Junior version for those aged over 5, as well as an adult option to ensure you are meeting your daily requirement.

Elderberry

Elderberries are a nutritious superhero, packed with Vitamin C and antioxidants to offer potential powerful immune and antiviral support. There may still some elderberries to be found on the hedgerows if you fancy making your own (you can also use dried elderberries) – we have our own Elderberry Syrup recipe which you can find here.

Otherwise, we love Pukka Elderberry Syrup which combines some key herbs such as thyme & black pepper with manuka honey for a lovely supportive combination. It is great to take preventatively over the winter, and you increase the dose if required. We also love Lizzie Loves Natural Remedies Be Well which can be mixed with water or juice, blended in smoothies or sprinkled on yoghurt. It tastes great!

Multivitamins

Children can, unfortunately, be notoriously picky eaters, and studies indicate that children may not receive adequate nutrients from their diet. As an insurance policy for parents that offers peace of mind, it can be helpful to give children a high-quality daily multivitamin. We love Wild Nutrition’s Food-Grown Daily Multinutrient (Children’s) which provides all the nutrients they need in an easily digestible form. 2 capsules a day are recommended for children aged between 3 and 12, and for younger children, these can easily be opened and sprinkled over food such as porridge or yoghurt.

You might also like: 13 Activewear Pieces That’ll Motivate You To Actually Get Active

We also like My Baba’s Multivitamin and Multibiotic, a berry flavoured combination of vitamins, minerals and good bacteria specifically formulated for children aged 12 months to 4 years. The recommended dose is once a day, mixed with water, milk or juice or sprinkled onto yoghurt or cereal.

All of the above supplements are available to buy at the ultimate family health online one-stop-shop, www.naturedoc.shop, founded by the hugely knowledgable Lucinda Miller.

About Eight Food

At Eight Food we believe wholly in the art of using food to nourish the body. Whole foods, including herbs and spices, offer us a wealth of nutrients to support the body to help keep us in good health. Our range of naturally boosted family-friendly freezer meals and recipes focus on optimising key nutrients to support specific health needs. We spend time designing our meals to be as nutritious, and delicious, as possible and include the most nutrient-dense goodies to complement our recipes. Our meals are flash-frozen after cooking (we batch cook much as you would like at home) so we don’t need to use any artificial preservatives and can keep the salt content to a minimum.

You can find our range of delicious naturally boosted freezer meals plus plenty of nourishing family recipes at Eightfood.co.uk

Enjoy 20% off your order with discount code TLM20.

Looking for something else? Take a peek at my ultimate directory for the best parent, baby and business recommendations.

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Days Out

12 Family-Friendly Theme Parks To Visit This Summer

Theme parks are the best post-lockdown treat for kids of all ages. With parks reopening their doors this month and everyone wanting to blow off steam, the tickets are selling out quick! I love that so many of the big theme parks have super-cool rides and play areas that cater to younger kids too. I’ve picked out the best theme parks that offer a good selection of activities for the little ones, as well as brilliant family activities and attractions. Do let me know if I’ve missed one that you and your family absolutely love.

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South
Midlands
West
North
East
Multiple Locations

SOUTH

Peppa Pig World, Paulton’s Park

All toddlers seem to be mad about Peppa Pig. So, a meet-and-greet, along with a chance to immerse themselves in the world of their favourite character, will be a dream day out. Paulton’s Park has plenty of family rides, water splash parks, as well as birds and animals. It’s really worth booking accommodation near the park and making it a short break out of it.

Location: New Forest, Hampshire

Find out more on PaultonsPark.co.uk

The Gruffalo, Chessington

Ever since the Gruffalo moved into Chessington, the park has been a delight for young children. While the Lazy River ride is the main attraction, Chessington also has short-break options with the chance to stay in a hotel room decked out in all things The Gruffalo. Spend a day in the theme park and a day in the zoo. New for this year, Chessington has unveiled The Rainforest – three new jungle-themed family-friendly rides.

Location: Chessington, Kingston upon Thames

Find out more on Chessington.com

Angry Birds, Thorpe Park

Thorpe Park has some of the absolute best rides for adults but there’s a good balance of family fun too. Angry Birds Land is best for kids four years and above with the Angry Birds 4D experience, dodgems and Detonator, the ride with a birds-eye-view. The park also has rapids, teacups and water rides.

Location: Chertsey, Surrey

Find out more on ThorpeBreaks.co.uk

Duplo Valley, Legoland

Legoland is one of the best places for young kids and even I love walking through miniland looking at the miniature landmarks made of Lego! Duplo Valley is just perfect for toddlers (or Little Builders, as Legoland call them!) with its Dino Coaster, Playtown and theatre. Under 3’s can enjoy Playtown and Splash Safari. Don’t forget to get their L-Drivers license in Lego city.

Location: Windsor

Find out more on Legoland.co.uk

MIDLANDS

CBeebies, Alton Towers

I’m not sure anyone ever grows out of Alton Towers. There was so much for the little ones to do before CBeebies Land and that has also been a fantastic addition to the park. Join Peter Rabbit, In The Night Garden, Teletubbies and the rest of the CBeebies gang your kids have fallen in love with. Don’t forget to book a day in the water park too!

Location: Alton, Stoke-on-Trent

Find out more on AltonTowers.com

Thomas Land, Drayton Manor

Full steam ahead to Drayton Manor! Thomas Land goes all out for kids: it has 25 rides and attractions! All of the Thomas and Friends characters come to life here through brilliant rides, including Toby’s Tram Express, Cranky’s Drop and Harold’s Helicopter Tour. I recommend a day in the zoo and a day in the theme park as neither can be rushed. To read more about my trip there, click here.

Location: Drayton Bassett, Staffordshire

Find out more on DraytonManor.co.uk

WEST

Neverland, Oakwood Theme Park

Rollercoasters, rides and attractions for all ages are what you’ll find at Wales’ biggest theme park. Kids will love Neverland for an adventure with Peter Pan, Tinkerbell and the Lost Boys. My favourite place is Dahland where all the best Roald Dahl characters come to life.

Location: Pembrokeshire, Wales

Find out more on OakwoodThemePark.co.uk

NORTH

Nickelodeon Land, Blackpool Pleasure Beach

Join Spongebob, The Backyardigans, PAW Patrol and other characters from Team Nick at Blackpool Pleasure Beach – a classic theme park day out if you’re based in the North of the UK. I also love a visit to Ripley’s Believe It or Not which will have plenty of surprises for everyone.

Location: Blackpool, Lancashire

Find out more on BlackpoolPleasureBeach.com

Angry Birds Activity Park, Lightwater Valley

Suited for children from one year old, Lightwater Valley is an amazing place for a family adventure. It’s also the home to the Angry Birds Activity Park. Your young adrenaline junkie will be thrilled to ride the Twister, the Eagles Claw and the Falls of Terror. With 40 rides to choose from, they’ll be something for everyone to enjoy.

Location: Ripon, North Yorkshire

Find out more on LightwaterValley.co.uk

EAST

Heart Kid’s Zone, Pleasurewood Hills

Pleasurewood has a good mix of entertainment and attractions, including sea lion and parrot shows. As for rides, enjoy the classics, including dodgems, carousel, wave swinger and a couple of roller coasters. The kids can go for the spin in the teacups and sail the seas on the mini pirate ship in Heart Kid’s Zone.

Location: Lowestoft, East Anglia

Find out more on PleasurewoodHills.com

You might also like: Nine Day Trips From London

Multiple locations

Gulliver’s World

This is one of the oldest theme parks I can think of (it’s over 40 years old!) and now they have four parks and another one opening soon. Don’t expect any big rides though, as these parks are specially designed for those under 12. I’m only familiar with the Matlock Bath Park which is built into a hillside in the beautiful Peak District – take the chair lift ride for the best views. The park has something for everyone, whether your little one loves princesses, dinosaurs, pirates or diggers!

Location: Warrington, Milton Keynes x 2, Matlock Bath, Rother Valley (opens 2020)

Find out more on GulliversFun.co.uk

Diggerland

Diggerland is much bigger now than I remember it and it’s truly a digger-themed experience for the whole family. For the kids, there’s the digger train, knocking down skittles and hunting for treasure on a digger, go-karts, mini tractors and land-rovers. For adults, get behind the gears of an actual digger.

Location: Kent, Devon, Durham and Yorkshire

Find out more on Diggerland.com

You might also like: Luxury Staycations The Whole Family Will Absolutely Love

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Days Out

Al Fresco Inspiration: 10 Things Your Family Picnic Is Missing

One of the best things you can do in this gorgeous weather is pack up a picnic and venture out into the countryside… or the beach or the local park! Picnics are a brilliant family activity because they don’t take lots of planning but sometimes I love to indulge in a few things to make the day out extra special.

I wrote a post two years ago which is more geared for picnics with younger children that you might also like to have a gander at!

My Picnic Checklist

Rainbow picnic wine glasses, M&S

£15

Plastic glasses (and wine) are essential. I love these M&S ones with a hint of rainbow. They’re really lightweight too so will not weigh down your picnic basket too much.

Wool picnic blanket – rainbow, Lala & Bee

£68

Keeping with the rainbow theme, this gorgeous wool picnic blanket is big enough for the whole family to sit on. The wool is comfy to sit on, while the waterproof backing is super practical if the ground is a little damp.

Oil cloth, Sarah K

£16.25 per half metre

Greasy fingers always make an appearance at picnics, so rather than having the little ones wipe them on your blanket, invest in an oil tablecloth. If you’re fortunate enough to find a spot with picnic benches, this definitely comes in handy.

Acrylic tableware, The Summer House

From £12

The Summer House tableware collection is just divine. The tumblers are my first pick but if I were going all out or throwing a garden party, I’m sure I’d be picking up the flutes, jugs and salad bowls too.

Lidded picnic basket with check lining, Brambly Cottage

£31 (was £48)

Traditional picnic baskets can often be quite heavy but this wicker and cotton canvas one isn’t too bulky. It’s perfect for packing with delicious treats.

Beach cooler bag, Sunny Life

£25

There is nothing worse than warm sausage rolls… except for maybe a G&T without ice. Keep everything chilled with this Sunny Life cooler bag.

Marlo Wine

From £11.50

Marlo Wine is my new go-to for wine. I love that you can order just one bottle and there isn’t an overwhelming range to choose from: Marlo has selected the best of the best, ranging from £11.50 to £525.00.

Smoked goods, Brown and Forest

Brown and Forest wholesale to the likes of Hawksmoor and Fortnum and Mason and if it receives their stamp of approval, it’s bound to be top-notch. Choose from smoked meats, smoked fish, cheeses, hampers and much more.

British made cheeses,Village Maid Cheese Ltd

From £5

It wouldn’t be a proper picnic without a good selection of cheeses and Village Maid Cheese is my favourite for artisan cheeses.

Mail order cakes, The Hobo

From £20

The Hobo are doing all sorts of exciting things with their pop-up coffee shop/cocktail and canape bar. If you need catering give them a call. I’m just delighted you can now order their delicious triple chocolate brownies online!

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Reviews Services Travel

Family Transfers : Take The Hassle Out of Your Journey To & From The Airport

We have all had the dilemma when the taxi has arrived without the correct car seat you definitely ordered. Only one thing for it – to take your own, which is a massive inconvenience – who wants to lug that across continents? Family Transfers is a company that specialises in making your trip as hassle free as possible.

THE OUTWARD JOURNEY

We were lucky enough to review this service, starting in Hampshire at 4am at the beginning of the Easter Holidays. With an early flight booked and a way to drive to Stanstead it was brilliant to have a car to pick us up – with all the correct sized car seats for our three kids aged 8, 6 and 4.

A comfortable 8 seater arrived quietly in our drive ahead of schedule and Jorge our quiet and helpful driver leapt up to take the suitcases as soon as we appeared. We spaced the children out, seat belts on, radio off, perfect temperature and within half an hour all of us were asleep.

As they drive you straight to the drop off point there was no tassel of finding our designated parking space for the week. Although I will hand it to Stanstead it is a well oiled machine and very organised, it is still quite far from the terminal to walk with kids – especially when it is so fresh first thing in the morning.

THE RETURN JOURNEY

On our return, Jorge had our flight details so met us off our slightly delayed flight.

He immediately took control and loaded the bags onto a trolley (and maybe one or two kids!)

It was very helpful to have an extra pair of hands when dealing with tired hyper kids. My kids seem to go potty in an airport! Jorge pushed the trolley all the way to the car that gave us extra hands to guide the kids.

He delivered us home safely without a hiccup and I can honestly say it was such a joy having the transfer both ends sorted. It is just another area to tick off your list when you are travelling that you don’t have to worry about.

Now for the next holiday….

NOT JUST AIRPORTS

They aren’t limited to airports – ports and train stations too or you could even hire a car and driver for the day and do a sight-seeing tour.

familytransfers.com

Use LONDONMUMMY10 for 10% off all bookings. Valid until end of June.

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Days Out Events Family Life

Aisle of Wonder at Stratford Westfield

I was thrilled to be asked by Nestle Breakfast Cereals to visit their recent pop up cereal experience – Aisle of Wonder. After a great time at Thyme in Gloucestershire, I was keen to see what they have been up to. Situated smack bang in the heart of the Westfield in Stratford (2nd floor by John Lewis) the pop up looks like machinery from Willy Wonka’s factory – it is so fun and interactive.

Tubes above your head are filled with Nestle cereal finishing in a pick n mix style to enable you to choose a cocktail of cereals, finished with a selection of milks and toppings.

As a family, cereal is a staple in the morning so we don’t have to persuaded, although after a good chat with a nutritionist, I and firmly on the wholegrain band wagon, that Nestle includes in their breakfast cereals with the green banner.

What Does Whole Grain Actually Mean?

Whole Grain cereals basically mean that they contain all three parts of the grain – the germ, the endosperm and the bran.

By having all three you are receiving fibre from the bran and the vitamins especially Vitamin B from the germ.

If something is refined, the top and middle layer is removed leaving just the endosperm.

With breakfast below, you are getting calcium, nutrients and wholegrain and no need to add extra sugar (like we tend to with porridge so it is counter productive!)

If you are feeling flush, you can buy a personalised box of Shreddies, Cheerios or Shredded Wheat – each only £3 and also filled with the relevant cereal.

The event runs for 2 weeks for the second year in a row and the aim of the pop up is to show the range and ways you can eat cereal.

Fuel your visit to the Westfield at the Aisle of Wonder and then head to the Olympic Park.Well, that’s what we are doing!

GIVEAWAY

To win your own personalised box of cereal – head over to Instagram to enter.

Aisle of Wonder at Stratford Westfield

Runs Until 23rd April.

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Family Life

8 Tips For a Happy Christmas With Your Other Half

We all know that Christmas is a pressure cooker of emotions, routines and expectations. It is meant to be a happy time of year but it can end up being the most stressful. What’s most important is that you and your other half are on the same page because if you are united – children playing up, traffic jams and the fact you have forgotten the presents – will be all the more bearable if you aren’t at each others throat.

So, how to do that?

Plan

Planning isn’t sexy, but if you take time to plan in advance – it will pay dividends in the long run.

Decide who is doing what, what your timings are and who is in charge of what, before the holidays commence.

This is part of our check list that we will delegate between each of us –

Wrapping
Packing clothes
Packing car
In Car entertainment
Route planning
What we are doing each day (without zapping every last minute plan)
Mealtimes

(I just made that up now, I don’t actually have a check list that I make us go through!)

Anyway, you get the picture.

It’s Not a Competition

You both work hard. You are both knackered. You both deserve a break. But remember, it is not a competition who is the most tired/over worked etc. Treat each other how you would like to be treated.

‘Are you ok?’

‘Would you like anything?’

‘Is there anything I can do for you?’

These are a few thoughtful questions that will make the other person feel valued and understood.

Remember, it is not a competition.

Divide and Conquer

When we first had kids, we did everything together at weekends. Now we have 3 it life is a bit more hectic.

It is sometimes more effective and peaceful to divide and conquer.

Why not factor in giving the other one total guilt free time off a couple of hours a day?

I am going to suggest 1 of us does breakfast (him!) we all have lunch together and 1 of us does kids tea (I opt for this ones so it can coincide it with a glass of wine!)

Get Some Rest

Each family has their achilles heel. For us it is tiredness. We know that we don’t function well if we have over cooked it or had a late night.

Once or twice during the silly season is a given – it would be rude not to let your hair down at Christmas, but otherwise we make sure we get a good nights sleep so we are on the best form possible for the next day.

Early drink, early bed!

Anything to keep Vivian emerging (my alter ego!)

Compromise

Are there things that you are pre-empting? Talk about them. This is one tiff that always arises which we have worked out how to overcome.

My husband likes sharing his food. I don’t. Especially when he wants my last mouthful. (Yes, i am greedy/selfish) Anyway, we have overcome this by compromise.

I will share my food at the beginning of my meal but heaven forbid he wants my last mouthful!

Lower Your Expectations

If you don’t expect anything, you won’t be disappointed.

Ok, this may seem like a negative way to live but in terms of presents, behaviour and the amount of alone time you want etc look at everything as a bonus rather than an expectation.

Chill out!

Family & OCD are not a good combinations. If you both have different standards, this can often be a bone of contention.

I know that my husband likes me to leave the bed made, curtains pulled, clothes put away if I leave the bedroom last and he is a bit irksome at kids mealtimes, so I want him to leave me to it. (hence why he will be doing the morning shift!)